A 26-year-old man was arrested Wednesday and faces federal charges in connection with a February bombing outside the office of Republican Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall.
Kyle Benjamin Douglas Calvert of Irondale, Alabama, was arrested and charged with malicious use of an explosive and possession of an unregistered destructive device, the Department of Justice said in a news release.
If convicted on the first charge, he faces a sentence of five to 20 years in prison. If convicted of the second charge, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, but the prison sentences could run concurrently.
“The Justice Department has no tolerance for acts of violence targeting those who serve the public,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in the news release.
Calvert, described in court documents as a “loner” who avoided eye contact and wore all black-colored clothing, appeared in federal court in the state capital of Montgomery on Wednesday, WSFA-TV reported. It is not known if he has retained an attorney.
According to court documents, an improvised explosive device was detonated Feb. 24 at approximately 3:42 a.m. outside of Marshall’s office in Montgomery. No injuries or major damage to nearby buildings were reported. Investigators learned the device was a coffee container-like vessel that had insulation material soaked in gasoline or lighter fluid, a mortar, firecrackers, and nails.
Court documents also showed that stickers depicting different graphics advocating for various political ideologies were placed at the scene, with some including the phrase “Support your local Antifa.” Investigators believe Calvert was also responsible for placing the stickers, saying they resembled those found on Calvert’s vehicle, a Toyota Camry.
“My staff and I are breathing a collective sigh of relief this morning knowing that this individual has been taken off the streets,” Marshall said in a news release. “Although more information will be provided in the weeks to come, I think it is safe to say that this was not a random act of violence.
“We are grateful to our federal and local partners for their assistance in this matter and are pleased that the offender faces federal charges carrying significant prison time.”
On Feb. 11, authorities said Calvert posted a video on social media that showed him talking about his “violent impulses,” according to court documents.
“I am impulsive by nature in some way that can often be violent, or my impulses are violent.” Calvert said. “Some might call those intrusive thoughts; some might just call them violent impulses. I think too often we do not talk about how difficult it is for violent people to overcome [violent impulses].”
In another video posted Dec. 12, court documents showed, Calvert expressed his frustration with the government.
“I don’t understand how [expletive] politicians do this [expletive],” Calvert said. “How the [expletive] are we not killing the government right now?”
The FBI Mobile Field Office, Montgomery Resident Agency Office, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and Marshall’s office teamed up to investigate the case.
“The FBI worked closely with our law enforcement partners to run down every lead and leverage our forensic capabilities to identify and arrest the person who is allegedly responsible for detonating this dangerous device,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said in the news release.
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